Bank Foundation Awards $950K In Scholarships
The Bank of Bermuda Foundation recently held its annual Scholarship Awards reception at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. The event, a celebration of the achievement of twenty young and deserving local students, saw the Foundation award in excess of $950,000 in scholarships.
A spokesperson said, “Bank of Bermuda Foundation continues to place a priority on financial need, along with academic achievement, and is committed to ensuring diversity and equity throughout the scholarship process. Education and Scholarships are crucial to the Foundation’s vision for the future of Bermuda.”
Julia Pimental, Shantori Fox, Khya Bagley Pearman, Mackenzie Paul, Hannah King, Harlee Purvey, Rajah Steede, Naomi Proctor; Shannon Davis, Caroline Amaral, Sherkeela Ming & Etteleon Burchall; Allison Perry, Rickie Williams, Zyon Robinson, Jaire Lawrence Salaam. Missing from photo: Hannah King, Shapri Joell, Jehkio Bean & Seon Tatem
Attendees at the reception heard from the Chairman of Bank of Bermuda Foundation, Tom Conyers, whose message was one of encouragement and motivation.
Mr. Conyers said, “This is just the beginning of a lifelong process of personal growth, acquisition of knowledge and the development of new skills for these students.”
Mr. Conyers encouraged students to take advantage of their time away from our small Island, to experience the larger world both inside and outside their educational institution in all its diversity; to take advantage of every opportunity to experience new cultures, new places, new countries. He added, “You can only be personally enriched by the experience before you come home to Bermuda to give back to your community.”
Scholarship winners, together with their family and friends, Foundation Board Members, Scholarship Committee members and staff at the event were moved by inspiring messages from former scholarship winner Ms Sanae Russell [an awardee in 2008] and 2019 scholarship winner Mr. Jaire Lawrence-Salaam.
Ms Sanae Russell spoke of winning the Joseph C.H. Johnson Scholarship from the Foundation back in 2008. She said that the scholarship ‘changed her life’. She added she would not be here today without the support and assistance of the Foundation.
Ms Russell is currently an assistant underwriter in the Professional Lines department of AXA XL, the Property & Casualty and Specialty Risk division of AXA, having received her Bachelor of Science in Risk Management and Insurance from St. John’s University.
The Managing Director of the Foundation, Allison Towlson, proudly noted, “Sanae is a success story and a testament to the value of investing in our future leaders; she is a positive force for change. We look forward to continuing to engage Sanae, as well as all of our scholarship winners, as they continue to pursue their education and professional development.”
Mr. Jaire Lawrence Salaam, winner of this year’s Phil Butterfield Public School Scholarship spoke to the event attendees about his journey to study Civil Engineering.
He will now be attending Dalhousie University to embark on his dream of becoming a Civil Engineer. He went on to tell everyone what the scholarship meant to him and how he had almost given up hope of attending university, but with “thanks to Bank of Bermuda Foundation he will now have the opportunity to achieve great things.”
Mr. Dennis Tucker, Director and Chair of the Scholarships Committee said “Students like Jaire are the reason we do what we do, ensuring that as many students as possible have the financial support to secure higher education and in turn pursue their dreams.”
“At the Foundation, we are like a family, we stay connected to our scholarship winners and are genuinely committed to their success. They are the future of Bermuda.”
Bank of Bermuda Foundation invites students and the community to learn more about its scholarships, winners and deadlines for next year’s awards, by visiting its website: www.bankofbermudafoundation.bm
“Diversity and equity” being a goal why so few males?
Thanks to the Bank for investing such huge sums in our students. Scholarships were traditionally given strictly based on academics and most still are. But where is the PLP committee with its Mincy Report that expressed concern about our boys? Where is Rolf Commissiong? Where is the Trade Union Congress , THE BIU, THE BPSU and BUT etc? Where is Famous….cutting down trees. This is not good that we do not see our young men represented. You know it is not and why are we so silent about it?